(Kata POV – U.A. Gates)
As I reach U.A.'s gates, I find it packed with reporters. A wall of bodies and flashing cameras, microphones shoved into students' faces as they struggle to push through.
'Guess it's finally that day.'
I keep walking, my expression neutral, pretending the reporters don't exist. Luckily, there's a clear path leading directly to the gates, so I take it without hesitation.
One of them notices me. His eyes flicker with hesitation—maybe he finds me intimidating—but then, deciding I'm an easier target than my already swarmed classmates, he rushes toward me.
A microphone is shoved uncomfortably close to my face, a cameraman already snapping pictures.
"Tell us, what's it like having All Might, the Number One Hero, as a teacher?"
His voice is too eager, laced with expectation, like he's already planning his headline regardless of my answer.
'People never change.'
Selfish. Vain. Always thinking the world revolves around them, rarely considering others.
'I'm no different.'
That's how I know I'm right.
'I've been around so many nice people lately that I almost forgot what the world is really like.'
A flicker of irritation worms its way into my chest at the reminder, but I push it down.
'If he takes the hint and leaves, I'll let it go. He's only doing his job.'
I keep walking. No acknowledgment. Not even a glance.
Silence.
For a second, I think it worked—until his voice follows, dripping with smugness.
"Are these the values the Number One Hero teaches his students? A disdain for the masses…?"
'So that's the game he's playing.'
If I ignore him, he claims he's right. If I argue, he gets an article. One people will eat up, because bad news is always more interesting than good news.
I tune him out, my mind descending into eerie calm.
'He's dumb enough to spew crap about All Might in public.'
So, he's an idiot. That much is fine. I don't really care about All Might or what people say about him. Plenty of people like this reporter are idiots.
But trying to use me to push his agenda?
'That's beyond stupid. This is why I dislike the hero mentality—sacrificing and enduring for those who clearly aren't worth the effort.'
I don't even need to turn my head. He's too absorbed in his own narrative to notice me shifting my gaze just slightly.
Then, with a flick of my will—
There's an imperceptible shift in the air.
The reporter stumbles.
What's meant to be minor fall—just a scraped knee, maybe a bruise.
Results in a primal scream, as tears leak from his eyes, echoing through the crowd as he slams into the pavement, harder than gravity should have allowed. His knee and elbow twist at unnatural angles.
Broken. Completely and utterly broken.
'He'll probably never walk at 100% again.'
I suppress the smirk that threatens to form.
'I won't tolerate anyone trying to use me.'
The thought lingers darkly as I glance at the sky, exhaling before walking through the gate like nothing happened.
One of the perks of an invisible power—no one will ever know.
And even if they do?
They can never prove it.
'Unless its user is a dumbass.'
The screams catch everyone's attention, but I'm far enough away that no one even looks in my direction.
Aizawa brushes past me on his way out, his dead-eyed stare sweeping over the reporters.
"You're interrupting our classes. Please leave."
He waves his hand like he's shooing away a pest.
The U.A. defense system activates when one of the reporters tries to enter and the gates slam shut, cutting off their access.
I arrive in class shortly after, greeting my classmates before taking my seat.
Ignoring the chatter around me, I close my eyes and focus inward.
'Might as well train my sensing ability while I wait for homeroom.'
At first, everything is black, and noise fades to a dull hum. Then—
My ability activates.
It's like echolocation, except clearer. An incredibly detailed image of my surroundings forms in my mind, every contour sharp.
'It's much more intense than when I was alone in a quiet house.'
I focus more.
Sound returns—but not in the usual way. Instead of hearing my classmates, I see their voices. My brain must be subconsciously interpreting vibrations in a way I don't fully understand.
The waves ripple through my awareness, painting a perfect picture of the room.
Every movement. Every breath.
Imprinted directly into my mind.
'Great. Now I just need to ease my focus slowly while keeping it active.'
And so I do. It's a slow process—darkness creeping in every time I lose control—but I'm making progress.
I pick up Aizawa's presence before he even reaches the door. Watch as he steps inside, heading straight for the podium.
"Good work on the battle training from a few days ago," he says.
The praise is brief, but it's there. He immediately follows up with criticism—calling out Bakugo's immaturity and Izuku's recklessness for breaking his arm.
Then, after a slight pause, he moves on.
"Now, onto homeroom business… Sorry for the sudden announcement, but today—"
The pause adds tension. I can feel my classmates' heartbeats quicken, the sweat forming on their brows. Even their nervous gulps become all too clear to me.
"You'll pick a class president."
"Such a normal, school-like thing!!"
Shouts of surprise erupt from the class. Even the quieter students—Jiro, Koda—perk up with interest. Excitement spreads like wildfire, and even Bakugo eagerly throws his hand up as high as it can go.
'I don't get it.'
Even if you're the leader of a bunch of future heroes, you're still stuck with all the boring tasks. And the position holds no real power.
I keep my eyes closed, still working on my Telekinetic Sensing.
Aizawa is observant. He probably realizes I'm awake somehow. As for the others… they're too excited to notice what I'm doing.
The chaos continues until Ida suggests a democratic election. Aizawa allows us to decide however we see fit—as long as we do it quickly.
The votes go about the same as in canon, with Izuku scoring 3 and Momo in second with 2.
I voted for Momo. And since Iida, Uraraka, Toru, and I didn't receive any votes, it's easy to piece together who voted for who.
Ida is shocked, while Izuku looks… nervous? Excited? Not sure what to make of it.
Lunch arrives, and I sit at a table with Kirishima, Kaminari, and the rest of the boys. We chat about simple things, enjoying Lunch Rush's food.
I stop training for now—using my ability around this many people, this soon, would probably just give me a headache.
'Now, I just need to wait for the alarms to go off.'
(3rd Person POV – Girls' Table)
As soon as lunch starts, the girls leave the classroom together, naturally drifting toward their usual table in the cafeteria.
"MMM! The food here is so good!" Mina exclaims, practically vibrating with excitement as she shovels a bite into her mouth.
Momo, seated beside her, nods primly. "Yes, the food is quite nice."
Though she sounds far less impressed.
The rest of the girls murmur in agreement as they dive into conversation, bouncing between topics—favorite bands, the best shampoos for volume versus shine, even some mild gossip about recent hero news.
Then, out of nowhere, Mina shifts the topic, casually throwing a bomb into the discussion.
"Hey, who do you think is the hottest in the class?" she muses, tilting her head, a playful grin tugging at her lips.
The table falls silent.
The girls glance at each other, some raising eyebrows, others smirking.
"That's a hard question, ribbit," Tsuyu says after a thoughtful pause. "We all have different preferences, so getting a single answer would be tough."
"Okay, then what about who'd make the best boyfriend?" Toru suggests, her voice practically sparkling with excitement.
That gets an immediate reaction.
"It has to be someone reliable!" Uraraka declares, pointing her chopsticks in emphasis.
"And intelligent," Momo adds, like she's listing the qualities of an ideal leader rather than a boyfriend.
"I dunno… I guess he should just vibe well with you, y'know? Share hobbies," Jiro says with a shrug.
"And he has to be caring and considerate!" Toru insists, her invisible hands gesturing animatedly.
A brief pause follows as they mull it over. Then, Toru's voice breaks the momentary silence.
"Actually… didn't Okada get Mina and Momo gifts a few days ago?" she asks innocently.
Two forks freeze mid-air.
Mina and Momo glance at each other, then at the rest of the table, as all eyes shift to them with increasing interest.
"Ooooh, what's this about?" Uraraka grins, leaning in like she just caught onto something juicy.
Momo, missing the underlying implication entirely, responds matter-of-factly. "He got me a notebook to thank me for helping him integrate with the class."
Mina immediately pounces on the opportunity, her grin widening. "But wasn't it personalized just for you? The perfect gift, right? He put so much thought into it, didn't he~?"
Momo blinks, eyebrows knitting together, actually considering the point.
But before anyone can dwell on it too long, Jiro smirks, turning to Mina instead. "Wait, didn't he get you something too? What was it again?"
Mina stiffens, caught in her own trap. "...It was nothing big," she says a little too quickly, waving it off. "Just a Bluetooth speaker. He said he got it since I like dancing."
"Ooooh~" the girls chime in unison.
"Doesn't that mean he also put a lot of thought into your gift?" Tsuyu adds, tilting her head. "I think you only mentioned that once, ribbit. And he remembered."
Mina falters for a split second before shaking her head so fast her horns practically blur. "It's just a coincidence," she says, crossing her arms in an X.
"Oh! And he saved you during the battle trials," Uraraka reminds her, smirking. "Got there just in time. Didn't it make your heart race?"
Mina pauses mid-breath, something flickering in her expression.
Then, she scoffs. "Come on, guys. He's so serious. Do you really think he'd like anyone?"
The girls exchange knowing smiles.
"I dunno…" Jiro says, twirling her fork before pointing it between them. "If he did like someone, it'd be one of you two."
Momo turns scarlet, eyes wide. "W-what?" she stammers, finally catching onto what they've been implying.
Mina, on the other hand, is already grinning like a fox. "There's only one way to find out."
Momo blinks rapidly. "W-what do you mean?"
Mina slings an arm around her shoulders. "We just need to act extra cute around him and see how he reacts. What do you think?"
The other girls exchange gleeful looks, watching Momo grow even redder, embarrassment taking full hold.
They giggle at her reaction, laughter bubbling up—
Until the piercing alarm blares through the cafeteria.
[Security Level 3 has been broken. All Students. Please evacuate in an orderly fashion.]
The mood shatters.
The girls instantly rise from their seats as the cafeteria erupts into chaos, students scrambling toward the exits.
(Kata POV – Cafeteria, Boy's Table)
The security alarm blares through the cafeteria, sending students scrambling toward the exits.
I let out a small sigh, stretching lazily as I stand—moving at a deliberately slow pace, completely unconcerned.
Naturally, this earns me a few stares.
"Okada, how are you so calm?! Level 3 means someone broke into the school! It could be a villain attack!" Kirishima exclaims, his voice laced with urgency.
I glance at him. "It could be," I say plainly. "Or, if you'd kindly look out the window, you'd see a bunch of reporters running around. So, they probably broke in somehow."
The others turn to the window, and realization dawns on them.
"Oh…"
"Anyway," I continue, tone neutral, "what matters is getting the situation under control first."
My composed demeanor seems to help them settle down—except Izuku, who still looks like he's on the verge of a meltdown. "H-how do we do that?" he asks, eyes darting around.
Ida remains serious, but he's clearly thinking hard.
I frown slightly. 'Izuku and Ida were supposed to be with Uraraka during this… but that didn't happen. Probably the butterfly effect from my presence. Though, I'm not sure exactly what triggered it.'
I set the thought aside. It doesn't matter right now. What matters is keeping things on track.
I exhale through my nose. "We need to get their attention somehow. I can make someone float above the crowd so they can relay the situation. Any volunteers?"
"I will do it!" Ida declares immediately, his hand shooting up.
'Perfect.'
It's not exactly like canon, but at least it's heading in the right direction.
With a simple wave of my hand, I lift Iida into the air and push him toward the exit doors. Unlike in canon, he manages to stand upright instead of flailing around like an idiot.
"EVERYONE! EVERYTHING'S FINE!" Iida's voice booms over the cafeteria, snapping heads in his direction.
He stands tall, voice commanding. "It's just the press! There's nothing to panic about. We're fine! This is U.A.—act like it!"
The crowd settles almost instantly. The evacuation proceeds smoothly, and by the time the police arrive to remove the reporters, the situation is completely under control.
(Classroom – Later That Day)
Back in class, Momo and Izuku stand at the front.
"Go ahead, class president," Momo prompts, gesturing for Izuku to speak.
He swallows, looking nervous. "W-we'd like to choose the other student council members! ...But before that…" He hesitates.
Then, he takes a deep breath and visibly steadies himself.
I keep my eyes closed, watching through my steadily improving sensing ability.
"I believe…" Izuku finally speaks, voice much clearer now.
'Good. Now he'll hand over the position to Iida, and we can be done with this whole—'
"That Okada is better suited to being class president!"
...
…
…
'Did I hear that right?'
Time seems to slow as my mind races.
'Shit.'
My eyes snap open, locking onto Izuku. He meets my gaze head-on—no nervous fidgeting, no second-guessing. He actually believes this nonsense.
"You all saw how calmly he led us during the crisis," Izuku continues, gaining momentum.
I keep my expression neutral, but inside, I'm screaming. 'It's not too late to stop this.'
"He made a plan on the spot and kept everyone from panicking. His observation skills are through the roof!"
'No, no, no—'
"I think he's the right choice for the job. Someone who can lead us with a clear head, no matter the situation."
I open my mouth to shut this down immediately.
"I ref—"
"Sounds good!" Kirishima interrupts, slamming a fist into his palm. "I get what you mean! He handled the whole thing perfectly!"
"He instantly came up with a plan that worked!" Kaminari chimes in.
I stare at them, my neutral face barely hiding my betrayal. 'I thought you guys were my friends?!'
The class erupts in agreement. Shouts of approval echo around me. Even Bakugo, who fought for the position earlier, just grumbles in his seat, making no move to argue.
'Why would I want this job?! I don't even get paid!'
The noise dies down slightly as everyone turns toward Aizawa, silently asking for confirmation.
'It doesn't matter. They can't force this on me. I'll refuse, they'll be bummed out, but it's the best choice for me—'
Aizawa looks at me, sees the clear disinterest in my expression…
And then he grins.
That same grin he wore when he announced that the last place student in the quirk apprehension test would be expelled.
A sinking feeling forms in my stomach.
'No. No, he wouldn't—'
"I think this is a great idea," Aizawa announces, his voice unnaturally energetic. "Kata Okada, from now on, you're the class president. Yaoyorozu will be your vice-president."
My eye twitches. "You can't just decide that on your ow—"
"CLASS PREZ!" Kirishima whoops, slapping me on the back.
"Class prez, we're counting on you!" Kaminari grins.
The rest of the class cheers, effectively drowning out my protests.
Aizawa, satisfied with his work, promptly zips himself back into his sleeping bag and smirks at me from the floor.
I glare at him, knowing full well that he's enjoying this.
'Damn it.'
While the class celebrates, Momo glances at me, lost in thought. A faint pink dusts her cheeks.
But I don't notice. I'm too busy sinking into self-pity.